NHTSA Complaint #10693241 — 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

MARCH 8 AT APPROXIMATELY 10PM: ON A TRIP BACK FROM OUT OF TOWN WITH MY 2 YOUNG CHILDREN AND PUPPY, THE RPMS IN THE VW PASSAT BEGAN ESCALATING YET NO ADDITIONAL POWER WAS COMING INTO THE ENGINE. I TRIED SHIFTING TO A LOWER GEAR AND ALSO ATTEMPTED CRUISE CONTROL TO MINIMIZE THE RPM RACING. CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT RESPOND AND THE CHANGE IN GEAR DID NOTHING FOR THE RACING RPMS. A FEW MORE MILES DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE CAR BEGAN LOSING MOMENTUM -? IT WAS SIMILAR TO THE FEELING OF RUNNING OUT OF GAS THOUGH I HAD A FULL TANK. I MOVED THE CAR INTO THE SERVICE LANE BEFORE THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. WITHIN SECONDS OF PULLING OVER, THE ENGINE BEGAN SMOKING. I FELT THE NEED TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE, EVEN THOUGH I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY LATE AT NIGHT, PREGNANT, WITH 2 SMALL CHILDREN AND A PUPPY. WE LEFT EVERYTHING IN THE CAR, GOT OUT (I CALLED 911) AND WERE ABOUT 8 FEET AWAY WHEN FLAMES BECAME VISIBLE ESCAPING FROM THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. A STATE TROOPER WAS PASSING THROUGH AT THE TIME AND NOTICED THE STRONG SMELL; HE QUICKLY CIRCLED BACK AND THEN SAW THE FIRE.TWO FIRE TRUCKS AND 2 MORE STATE TROOPERS ARRIVED AT THE SCENE -?? BUT BY THAT POINT -?? THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF MY CAR WAS IN FLAMES. THE TIRES WERE SO HOT FROM THE FIRE THAT THEY HAD MELTED TO THE ROAD. THE FRONT END OF THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED, THE DRIVER'??S SIDE WINDOW WAS BLOWN OUT, AND THE DASHBOARD MELTED. EVERYTHING IN THE CAR EXPERIENCED CHEMICAL SMOKE DAMAGE AND/OR WATER DAMAGE FROM THE FIRE TRUCKS. THE INSURANCE COMPANY ??TOTALED?? THE CAR THIS MORNING. SUNDAY NIGHT I NOTICED THAT NHTSA WAS AT ONE POINT INVESTIGATING VW PASSAT ENGINE FIRES. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE THAT INVESTIGATION. THOUGH MY CHILDREN AND PUPPY WERE NOT PHYSICALLY INJURED (I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE SUFFERED MENTAL TRAUMA) -?? I AM PREGNANT AND DO NOT KNOW IF THE FUMES WILL BE TOXIC TO MY UNBORN CHILD. *TR..UPDATED 06/01/16 *BF UPDATED 9/27/2017*CN